Joe & Kathleen

Barely eight years ago Joe and Kathleen Camp entered the world of horses without a horse or a clue and very quickly found their questions steering them into uncharted and controversial waters on a collision course with the ultimate discovery that most "domestic" horses in the world are being kept and cared for in a manner that is diametrically contradictory to their genetic design. Since that moment they have both become passionate advocates for change.
Kathleen is a lawyer specializing in litigation and is now teaching American Literature at The Webb School. Joe created the international canine superstar Benji and wrote, produced, and directed all five of the Benji movies and various television programs. His recent book The Soul of a Horse is a national best seller and in its ninth printing.
Even with all the accomplishments and media exposure, Camp is still in awe of his own success. “Inside, I’m still a kid sitting in a dark theater in Little Rock, Arkansas, watching Disney’s ‘Song of the South’ or reading books like the Black Stallion with happy tears rolling down my cheeks,” he says. “To be able to bringt that kind of happiness to others is very special.”
For more, click on the About Joe & Kathleen link in the header bar above.

Our Mission
For Each and Every Horse

Clinician Ray Hunt always opened every clinic or symposium the same way. “I’m here for the horse,” he would say. “To help him get a better deal.” He and his mentor, Tom Dorrance, were the first to promote looking at a relationship with the horse from the horse’s perspective. Their question was never What’s in it for me? But rather, What’s in it for the horse?

During our relatively short journey with horses we began to understand early on that What’s in it for the horse? should be the only question. And not just related to training, but to Lifestyle, Diet, Feet, the concept of Liberty, as well as Relationship. And that only by understanding all of these from the horse’s perspective could we begin to approach that illusory state of mind referred to as Horsemanship. We were discovering that our way to horsemanship could never be about how well we ride, or how many trophies we win, or how fast our horse runs, or how high he or she jumps.

For almost nine years now we have spent our days and nights attempting to discover the mysteries of the horse and have found it to be a never-ending journey. But the rewards are an elixir. The soul prospers from sharing, caring, relating, and fulfilling. Nothing can make you feel better than doing something good for another being. Not cars. Not houses. Not facelifts. Not blue ribbons or trophies. And there is nothing more important in life than love. Not money. Not status. Not winning.

Try it and you will understand what I mean. Apply it to your horses, and your life. It is the synthesis of The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd and why it came into being.

See the world from the horses’ end of the lead rope. Give them the choice of choice. Care enough to want them to be healthy and happy. It will come back a hundredfold.

There are many who teach relationship, riding, and training with principles of natural horsemanship. Others support the benefits of going barefoot with the wild horse trim. Still others write that your horse should eat from the ground, and live without clothes and coverings. Some promote day and night turnout, where your horses can move around continuously. But few have explored how dramatically one without the other can affect the horse and his well being. Few have put it all together into a single philosophy, a unified voice, a complete lifestyle change for the domesticated horse. When I gave my Cash the choice of choice and he chose me, he left me with no alternative. No longer could it be what I wanted, but rather what he needed. What fifty-two million years of genetics demanded for his long, healthy, and happy life.

I’m still astonished when I think where Kathleen and I began such a short time ago, and the impact our discoveries have had on so many. But there are still too many training with dominance and cruelty, cooping up their horses in small spaces, weakening their natural immune systems, feeding them unnaturally, creating unhealthy hooves and bodies. All because most folks actually believe it’s the right thing to do.

Yes, I suppose there are some who still only want a beast of burden. Do as I say. Make me a winner. Jump higher. Run faster. Slide farther. People who care not about having a relationship with their horse, and who will, when confronted, continue to care not about the health and happiness of their horse. But I believe that most horse owners today care about their horses and are operating, as we once were, with little more than emotional logic, old wives’ tales, and very little real knowledge. I hope our books and efforts will be a crack in the armor, a small breeze if not the strong winds of change, a resource for what needs to be done.

And a longer, happier, healthier life for all horses. — Joe & Kathleen

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“Joe Camp is a master storyteller.” – The New York Times

The widely acclaimed best selling sequel to the National Best SellerThe Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd
Watch the Born Wild book trailer

“In Born Wild Joe Camp continues to demonstrate, in simple, unpretentious eloquence, how much we two-legged creatures can learn from horses. One of the rewards for reading the book is that it can be taken literally as the tale of a newborn horse fancier learning his craft, or as the road map for humanity on how to develop leadership in any herd. With humor, affection and discernment, Camp repeatedly underscores that true relationships are built on trust with any creatures.”- Jack L. Kennedy, The Joplin Independent

The story of our journey with horses (to date) is told in the two books that follow: the national best seller The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd and its sequel Born Wild – The Soul of a Horse.

And what a story it is as two novices without a clue stumble and bumble their way through the learning process so that hopefully you won’t have to. If you haven’t read both of these books already please do because with that reading, I believe, will come not just the knowledge of discovery but the passion and the excitement to cause you to commit to your journey with horses, to do for the horse without waiver so that your relationship and experience will be with loving, happy and healthy horses who are willing partners and who never stop trying for you. Horses like ours.

Please list the names for each inscription in the “instructions to Seller” field as you check out!

“Joe Camp is a master storyteller.” – The New York Times

“One cannot help but be touched by Camp’s love and sympathy for animals and by his eloquence on the subject.” – Michael Korda, The Washington Post

“Joe Camp is a natural when it comes to understanding how animals tick and a genius at telling us their story. His books are must-reads for those who love animals of any species.” – Monty Roberts – Author of New York Timers Best-seller The Man Who Listens to Horses

“Camp’s tightly-written, simply-designed and powerfully drawn chapters often read like short stories that flow from the heart.” Jack L. Kennedy – The Joplin Independent

“Joe Camp is a gifted storyteller and the results are magical. Joe entertains, educates and empowers, baring his own soul while articulating keystone principles of a modern revolution in horsemanship.” – Rick Lamb – TV/Radio host – The Horse Show

“One cannot help but be touched by Camp’s love and sympathy for animals and by his eloquence on the subject.” – Michael Korda, The Washington Post – See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/the-books-of-joe-camp/born-wild-the-soul-of-a-horse/#sthash.6KJjzSLr.dpuf

“One cannot help but be touched by Camp’s love and sympathy for animals and by his eloquence on the subject.” – Michael Korda, The Washington Pos – See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/the-books-of-joe-camp/born-wild-the-soul-of-a-horse/#sthash.6KJjzSLr.dpuf

“One cannot help but be touched by Camp’s love and sympathy for animals and by his eloquence on the subject.” – Michael Korda, The Washington Pos – See more at: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/the-books-of-joe-camp/born-wild-the-soul-of-a-horse/#sthash.6KJjzSLr.dpuf

Click Any Book Cover Below to Read More or Purchase

Mind Boggling: Life with Two Very Special Mustangs
Time has flown by at the speed of light. It seems like only yesterday when Miss Saffron stepped off the trailer, an as yet unhandled mustang from the wild who had never willingly touched or been touched by any human. And very pregnant. The BLM said she would deliver in May. That was March 17th. Three days later Miss Firestorm was born. – Read More – 55 Photos, 3 Videos

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The Blog – Follow our journey with an amazing unhandled mustang and her new baby. Those who recall Noelle & Malachi know why the first post-video is entitled Here We Go Again.